Morbidity and Mortality Podcast

Hey y’all. Welcome to yet another wonderful episode of the Morbidity and Mortality Podcast. I have a distinguished guest with me. A policy researcher, teacher, and student advisor. An editor at multiple academic institutions and research centers. A man who got his doctorate degree in Law Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; an LL.M from Central European University, Budapest, Hungary and LL.B. (Hons) from Abia State University, Nigeria.  Dr Basil Ugochukwu currently teaches International Law at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Basil and I are from the same community in Nigeria called Nsu. We both graduated from the prestigious ABỊA State University, Uturu, a school that has produced so many distinguished public servants including the current minister of state, education Hon Dr Chukwuemeka nwajiuba. Dr. Basil you are welcome to my podcast. 

Dr. Chris Dimkpa is the Head of Department and Chief Scientist at the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station based in New Haven. His department works in the area of food, environmental and product safety for the State of Connecticut, and also conducts basic and applied research on the implications and applications of nanomaterials in the food. agriculture and environmental domains. Prior to this position, he was a Senior Development Scientist at the International Fertilizer Development Center in Muscle Shoals, Alabama where he conducted research and established partnerships with scientists in the US and around the world, including Africa, on fertilizer development and nutrient management, with emphasis on improving crop productivity and addressing environmental and human health concerns related to mineral fertilizers. 

Dr. Gregory Ford, Ph.D.
Dr. Gregory Ford currently serve as the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Fort
Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia. Prior to joining FVSU, he served as an
Assistant Professor of Biology at Morehouse College and Dean for the Division of
Natural Science and Physical Education at Georgia Highlands College. Dr. Ford
received his B.S. degree from Grambling State University, Ph.D. degree from Meharry
Medical College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship through the American
Psychological Society in the laboratory of his brother and mentor, Dr. Byron Ford, at
Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Ford’s research activities focus on the identification
of the common cellular, molecular and genetic factors underlying acute brain injuries
(ABIs), including nerve agent exposure, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke using
bioinformatics and bioanalytics. We also employ this approach to identify novel
therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers of these conditions. Drs.
Gregory and Byron Ford are the owners of Brain-Gen, LLC, a biotechnology startup
company licensed in the state of Georgia. Brain-Gen, LLC holds the nine full patents
and several patent applications in their current portfolio.
Dr. Ford has made service a cornerstone of his mission to improve engagement with
the college community and the communities at large. Some of the outreach programs
initiated under Dr. Ford have included The Wetlands Experience at GHC, The Georgia
Highlands Summer STEM Camp, The Allatoona Resource Center Summer STEM
camp, PI Day activities, STEM day/STEM night activities (with schools in Floyd County,
Bartow County, Paulding County, Cobb County, Georgia), development of a food
production program on Cartersville and Floyd campuses of GHC that included
expansion of pollinator gardens on those campuses. The impact of these undertakings
was realized through the division receiving Department of the Year honors in 2017 at
GHC. For his role in accomplishing these goals, he was the recipient of the Chancellors
Service Excellence Silver Award for Outstanding Leadership for the University System
of Georgia.
As the Dean for the College of Arts and Science, Dr. Ford is a service leader with a
focus on student success. Dr. Ford leads seven departments that offer Bachelor of
Science and Bachelor of Arts Degrees. Under his leadership, the college expanded its
online presence with three new fully online business degrees, formulated two certificate
programs in Financial Technology (Fintech) and in Film Production and the Social Work
program received its initial accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education
(CSWE).

Dr. Ford currently serves as a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Historically
Black College and Universities (HBCU) Caucus. The caucus works to promote and
protect the interests of HBCUs by creating a national dialogue, educating Members of
Congress and their staffs about the issues impacting HBCUs, drafting meaningful
bipartisan legislation to address the needs of HBCUs, and supporting students and
graduates of HBCUs by increasing access and career opportunities. The
Caucus convenes to discuss the challenges impacting HBCUs and create meaningful
policies and legislation to address them. Most recently, Dr. Ford recently had one of his
proudest professional moments as he and Dr. Byron Ford were awarded the University
of California-Historically Black Colleges and Universities (UC-HBCU) Initiative grant
which will allow him to provide a pipeline of students from FVSU to his brothers program
at UC Riverside.
Gregory Ford is a widower and he has two children with his former wife, Garrett 15 and Olivia 14.

Dr. Lisa Brown and I discussed how companies can manage workplace trauma in the age of COVID-19.

America has Failed. 

Yes, the United States of America has failed. Failed in controlling COVID-19 pandemic. Failed in testing and contact tracing. Failed in identifying, isolating, and insulating this virus. America, long before this virus got into every city, county, and all corners of this country, had the opportunity of separating those who have this virus from those who do not. But America failed. Now, she is left with long haulers. Left with over 6 million total cases and counting. Left with almost 190 thousand deaths. Left with over 40, 000 daily counts. Left with an abysmal baseline.

America failed not because knowledge was lacking. America failed because they have rejected knowledge. America failed not because ingenuity was not available. America failed not because people were not willing to make the much-needed sacrifice. America failed because the political will to do the right thing for the people was lacking. There was no lead from the top. There was no example shown by those who swore to protect lives and property and defend the country, both foreign and domestic. Sadly, no seriousness was given to this virus right from the get-go. As a matter of fact, this pandemic was described as a hoax.

Look at Hong Kong. Look at Taiwan. Look at New Zealand. New Zealand has stopped local transmission and has a plan to eliminate the virus from its territory. 

South Korea has reported about 11,000 cases. 11, 000 cases only in South Korea. In late February and early March, South Korea was reporting about 750 new cases a day. Now the country is down to an average of just a few dozen per day.

Confirmed cases in Vietnam has been only 153, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracking. Vietnam’s has a population of more than 96 million.

But America is leading negatively. Leading in hospitalization rate. Leading in number of cases. Leading in number of deaths. Leading with no national strategy. Leading without compass. Leading on the fly.

Over 6 million cases. More than 190, 000 deaths. A prediction of over 400, 000 deaths by January 1st, 2021.

Why are these numbers important? These numbers are someone's dad, mom, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew. Someone with breath but now struggling to breathe. Someone born of a woman but suffering under the hands of a man who puts politics above human life. 

Lack of national strategy has put America in this failed position. There has not been a cohesive coordination of logistics between the federal government and the states. PPE has been lacking and healthcare workers have been made to reuse facemasks. Healthcare workers, instead of taking care of patients, have been working to design ventilators that will serve 3 or 4 patients from one source. Hydroxychloroquine was declared to be the magic med when scientists have found that there was no benefit from this medication on COVID-19 patients. All you see are empty shelves of medical stockpiles and little or no zeal to source for these much-needed PPEs.

Inconsistent messages coming from the White House, CDC, and even the FDA. No push for mandatory nationwide facemasks wearing. The CDC has put out a watered-down school resumption guideline. FDA has touted convalescent plasma as the magic therapy for this virus with a distorted and exaggerated data. How can all these be happening in 21st century America? 

So, what should America and Americans do now? 

Americans should mask up. They should demand the truth from those in authority. Those in authority should clearly communicate the problem. They should empathize with SARS-CoV-2 patients, long-haulers, and those who have lost loved ones. They must stop playing politics with this virus. Above all, they must be transparent, listen to the experts, adopt a national game plan, and test, test, and test. 

Time is now. Let’s face the reality of Covid-19!

Thank you.

TODAY, AN ANGEL CAME

(Dedicated to Boris Oji, MD and other healthcare professionals working day and night to save lives during this pandemic)

Today an angel came

And came in form of man

With hands to heal he came

And heart so sweet and calm

Today an angel came

He wore some whitish gown

Head hands and down

Sheathed in mitts he came

He saw despair in me

And gave respire to me

Which now is scarce and lean

With heads filled with mean leads

This angel had some hunch

From home work and world

But cared for me so much

And none for his own world

Today an angel came

Who cries at close of day

But dries his tears himself

Shortly thousands still come

Today an angel came

Checking cords all round me

Crossing tees and dumping air

To lungs that has less fate

Today an angel came

With hidden minds of doubt

Torturing time to live in

With truth and lies in bed.

Uzoma Nduka (Ph.D)

04/03/2020

(c)

On this episode, I’m honored to have a young medical doctor working in rural Nigeria and working her way towards a career in public health. She earned her MBBS at Abia State University and is passionate about quality healthcare delivery for the common man in Nigeria. 

Dr Chijioke Nze is a Harvard trained physician and public health professional whose mission is the obliteration of cancer for everyone. Interested in health policy and how it affects cancer care. Dr Nze is currently a Hematology and Oncology Fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Azubuike Erinugha is a movie producer and director. Some of his movies are Funeral of Fire, the Choice, Brothers, the Champion Sportsman and numerous others. This Europe based Nigerian filmmaker whose movies have been well-received around the world and screened at film festivals like Woodpecker Film Festival in India also directed a documentary on Human Trafficking from Nigeria to Europe.

I am a thought leader, prolific and creative writer, author, life coach, ‘innovator,’ and ‘social media expert. I studied Taxation Law (LL.M) at New York Law School. I am the founder of Global Empowerment & Mentoring Initiative Inc (gloemi.com)- an organization that discover, inspire and transform individuals and employees to reach their highest human and corporate potentials. We are primarily focused on human capacity building. Our core areas of expertise includes: Mentoring young progressive minds in High School, college, entrepreneurs and employees working in corporation organization. We do this by offering leadership training, counselling, public speaking, skills acquisition programs, capacity building and career professional development training.

I currently work as the Legal Coordinator for New York City Department of Correction. I provide legal assistance to the inmates by assisting them with the drafting of various motions; I teach them how to perform legal research in addition to providing them with resourceful information that is relevant to their case.

I am an experienced Case Manager. I assisted individuals, families, and communities by providing them with services and programs that will enable them to gain employment opportunities, housing opportunities, medical opportunities, and public assistance from the City of New York.

I'm also a seasoned tax preparer. I file both personal income tax and self-employment taxes for small scale businesses. I provide financial advice to my clients and interested persons.

I am a passionate leader who loves to write, speak, counsel and serve. As a seasoned public speaker and writer, I have spoken in several colleges in addition to publishing several articles of interest that on human and capacity development, personal development and leadership. I also write insightful articles that revolve around strategic management, organization growth, strategy, systems thinking, strategic planning, innovation, and outstanding performance.

I am a team player who likes to serve humanity through leadership. I like community service! I love to give speeches, inspire, counsel, in addition to advising and counseling folks who need my ideas. I value humanity and derive passion helping out when the need arises. I like learning new things in addition to enriching my leadership and communicative skills. As an experienced human capacity developer, I have spoken at Seminars, Symposiums, and workshops on human and capacity building.

I love opportunities that will draw me closer to serve while learning.